Thurston County Courthouse (Washington)
Thurston County Courthouse | |
 Front of Courthouse in 2025 | |
Interactive map of Courthouse location | |
| Location | 1110 Capitol Way South, Olympia, Washington |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 47°02′15″N 122°54′01″W / 47.03763°N 122.90019°W |
| Area | 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) |
| Built | 1930 |
| Built by | Walter Boyer of Yakima |
| Architect | Joseph Wohleb |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Restored | 1991 |
| Website | capitol |
| NRHP reference No. | 81000592[1] |
| Added to NRHP | July 23, 1981 |
The Thurston County Courthouse a.k.a. the Capitol Court Building in Olympia, Washington is the former headquarters of Thurston County.[2][3] It was built in 1930 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1981. In 1978, the court was relocated to Olympia's Westside;[4] the building remained vacant until 1989 and completed renovations in 1991.[5] Since 1995, offices in the building have been leased by various government agencies and private businesses.[6]
Design
The Art Deco style, reinforced concrete building has 50,000 square feet (4,600 m2) of floor space and is made of Tenino sandstone. It is 4 stories tall, with a raised basement, a 2-story addition on each side, and topped with a rectangular tower.[5] The foundation measures 184.5 feet (56.2 m) by 84 feet (26 m). The primary contractor was Walter Boyer of Yakima.[1]
History
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On March 25, 1929, Joseph Wohleb was selected to design a new courthouse for Thurston County, to be located at the southeast corner of Capitol Way and 11th Avenue. Construction was completed the following year for a project cost of $350,000 (equivalent to $6.59 million in 2024).[6]
A formal dedication ceremony took place on Friday, September 12, 1930 with hundreds in attendance; the courthouse was officially open for business the following Monday, September 15.[7]
In 2020, the building underwent a $3.5 million renovation, including cleaning, repairs to cracks in historic sandstone exterior masonry, and restoration of original windows.[5][8]
Tenants
As of 2025, the building provides facilities for the following tenants:[6][9]
- Allied Daily Newspaper of Washington
- Board of Tax Appeals
- Caseload Forecast Council
- Citizens' Commission on Salaries for Elected Officials
- Commission on African American Affairs
- Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs
- Commission on Hispanic Affairs
- Commission on Judicial Conduct
- Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation[10]
- Department of Enterprise Services Parking Office
- Department of Enterprise Services Capitol Security & Visitor Services
- Governor's Office of Indian Affairs
- Office of Financial Management
- Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises
- Puget Sound Partnership
See also
References
- ^ a b "National Register Information System – (#81000592)". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. November 2, 2013.
- ^ "Old Thurston County Courthouse-Capitol Way/Site of Milroy House/Trolley system". Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ Crooks, Jennifer. "The Tale of a Saved Landmark: Thurston County's 1930 Courthouse". Thurston Talk. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- ^ "Thurston County Courthouses Through History". Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Building Projects". Department of Enterprise Services (DES). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Capitol Court Building". Washington State Capitol Campus. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ Crooks, Jennifer (May 20, 2018). "The Tale of a Saved Landmark: Thurston County's 1930 Courthouse". ThurstonTalk. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ Gentzler, Sara (February 4, 2020). "Old courthouse on Capitol Way getting $3.5 million restoration". The Olympian. Retrieved June 22, 2025.
- ^ "Capitol Court Building". Department of Enterprise Services (DES). Retrieved June 23, 2025.
- ^ "Office Locator". Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. April 12, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2025.
External links
